Improvement in steam-pressure regulators



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LCIUS J. KNOIVLES, OF lVARR'EN, MASSACIIUSETT,

IMPROVEMENT lN STEAM-PRESSURE REGULATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,045, dated August 25, 1857.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be itknown that I, LUCIUS J. KNOWLES, of IVarren, in the county of forcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Pressure Regulators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speciication, in Which- Figure l is a plan; Fig. 2, a vertical section through the same on theline @cof Fig. l.

In steam-pressure regulators where an elastic disk has been used to which the pressure was applied and which communicated motion to a weighted lever or spring connected with a damper or with an indicating apparatus, the obj ection has been that the disk from want of proper support over its Whole surface or from receiving the strain at but a few points has soon become strained and by the deterioration of this part of the apparatus the 'regulator or indicator, as the case might be, was rendered useless. To obviate this is the object of my present invention, which consists in supporting the elastic disk over its whole surface by a series of concentric metal rings, which rise and fall with the disk as the pressnre varies, by which means I am enabled to make use of a thin disk and to construct a durable and reliable regula-ting apparatus.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the same.

In the drawings, A is a block or base placed in any convenient position on or near the boiler into a hollow or depression a, in the center of which steam is admitted through the passage b, communicating with the boiler. On this block is secured by screws CZ a ring or cap B, between which and the block A is securely held the edge of a thin elastic disk c.

From-the ring B rise two standards C and I), to the former of which is pivoted at c a lever F, which is guided and steadied in a slot in the standard D. On this lever is placed a suitable regulating-weight Gr, by which the pressure may be adjusted, the outer end of the lever being connected with a damper in the customary way or with some indicating apparatus.

Pivoted to the lever F at f and pendenttherefrom is a pin E, the lower end of which rests in a cup H, that bears upon the middle of the disk c. This cup is turned out to receive the end of the pin E, and has a projecting shoulder z', that rests upon the first of a series of concentric metal ringsI, placed around itupon the disk c. The'se rings are heldin place and are allowed to accommodate themselves to the motion of the disk c while` they support its surface in the following manner: A groove m is turned in the inner face of the ring B to receive one end of the rods p, of which there may be three or more. (I have used four.) They pass transversely through the concentric rings I and through holes made a little larger than the rods, that the rings may have sufficient play' vertically without binding upon the rods, which are made of such a length that when the inner end is against the cup II the other end may not reach the bottom of the groove m, and yet may not escape from it when the rods are vibrat-ed vertically. To remove or replace the rings I, the cup H is lifted out and the rods p are pushed toward the center until their outer ends are free from the groove m, or notches may be cut down from the groove m on the inner face of the ring B by which to enter the ends of the rods, when by turning the rings I a little way the rods will be secured.

The following is the operation of this apparatus: Then the pressure is less than the amount indicated by the weight G, the disk c is pressed down by the cup I-I, as shown in Fig. 2, and rests upon the block A, and as the inner ring I is held beneath the shoulder t' of the cup Il it is'carried down with it and bears down the inner end of the rods p, and these carry down the other rings I. (These rings are iitted loosely that they may not bind upon each other.) Now when the pressure increases snificiently to overcome the resistance of the weight G and to raise the disk c, the cup II and rings I are raised, while they support almost every portion of the upper surface of the disk and the pressure is transferred through the cup II to the lever F and through the rods p to the ring B and but little strain is left upon the disk.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Supporting the disk c by concentric rings I and rods j?, in the manner substantially as Setforth. v

LUCIUS J. KNOIVLES.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. CHADSEY, Jos F. HITCHCOCK. 

